Romans 3

3:1 What advantage then hath the Jew? or what profit is there of
circumcision?
3:2 Much every way: chiefly, because that unto them were committed
the oracles of God.
3:3 For what if some did not believe? shall their unbelief make
the faith of God without effect?
3:4 God forbid: yea, let God be true, but every man a liar; as it
is written, That thou mightest be justified in thy sayings,
and mightest overcome when thou art judged.
3:5 But if our unrighteousness commend the righteousness of God,
what shall we say? Is God unrighteous who taketh vengeance? (I
speak as a man)
3:6 God forbid: for then how shall Godjudge the world?
3:7 For if the truth of God hath more abounded through my lie unto
his glory; why yet am I also judged as a sinner?
3:8 And not rather, (as we be slanderously reported, and as some
affirm that we say,) Let us do evil, that good may come? whose
damnation is just.
3:9 What then? are we better than they? No, in no wise: for we
have before proved both Jews and Gentiles, that they are all
under sin;
3:10 As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one:
3:11 There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh
after God.
3:12 They are all gone out of the way, they are together become
unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one.
3:13 Their throat is an open sepulchre; with their tongues they
have used deceit; the poison of asps is under their lips:
3:14 Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness:
3:15 Their feet are swift to shed blood:
3:16 Destruction and misery are in their ways:
3:17 And the way of peace have they not known:
3:18 There is no fear of God before their eyes.
3:19 Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to
them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped,
and all the world may become guilty before God.
3:20 Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be
justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of
sin.
3:21 But now the righteousness of God without the law is
manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets;
3:22 Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of JesusChrist unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is
no difference:
3:23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;
3:24 Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption
that is in ChristJesus:
3:25 Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in
his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of
sins that are past, through the forbearance of God;
3:26 To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he
might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in
Jesus.
3:27 Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? of works?
Nay: but by the law of faith.
3:28 Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without
the deeds of the law.
3:29 Is he the God of the Jews only? is he not also of the
Gentiles? Yes, of the Gentiles also:
3:30 Seeing it is one God, which shall justify the circumcision by
faith, and uncircumcision through faith.
3:31 Do we then make void the law through faith? God forbid: yea,
we establish the law.
Next Chapter

Overview:
Objections answered. (1-8) All mankind are sinners. (9-18)
Both Jews and Gentiles cannot be justified By their own deeds.(19,20) It is owing to the free Grace of God, through Faith in
the Righteousness of Christ, yet the Law is not done away.(21-31)

1-8 The Law could not save in or from sins, yet it gave the
Jews advantages for obtaining Salvation. Their stated
ordinances, education in the knowledge of the true God and his
service, and many favours shown to the children of Abraham, all
were Means of Grace, and doubtless were made useful to theConversion of many. But especially the Scriptures were committed
to them. Enjoyment of God's Word and ordinances, is the chief
happiness of a people. But God's promises are made only to
believers; therefore the unbelief of some, or of many
professors, cannot make this faithfulness of No effect. He will
fulfil his promises to his people, and bring his threatened
vengeance upon unbelievers. God's judging the world, should for
ever silence all doubtings and reflections upon his Justice. The
wickedness and obstinate unbelief of the Jews, proved Man's need
of the Righteousness of GodByFaith, and also his Justice in
punishing for Sin. Let us do evil, that good may come, is
oftener in the Heart than in the mouth of sinners; for few thus
justify themselves in their wicked ways. The believer knows that
duty belongs to him, and events to God; and that he must not
commit any Sin, or speak one falsehood, upon the Hope, or evenAssurance, that God may thereby Glorify himself. If any speak
and act thus, their condemnation is just.

9-18 Here again is shown that all mankind are under the guilt
of Sin, as a Burden; and under the government and dominion ofSin, as enslaved to it, to work wickedness. This is made PlainBy several passages of Scripture from the Old Testament, which
describe the corrupt and depraved state of all men, till Grace
restrain or change them. Great as our advantages are, these
texts describe multitudes who Call themselves Christians. Their
principles and conduct prove that there is No fear of God before
their eyes. And where No fear of God is, No good is to be looked
for.

21-26 Must guilty Man remain under wrath? Is the wound for ever
incurable? No; blessed be God, there is another way laid open
for us. This is the Righteousness of God; Righteousness of his
ordaining, and providing, and accepting. It is By that Faith
which has JesusChrist for its object; an anointed Saviour, SoJesusChrist signifies. Justifying Faith respects Christ as aSaviour, in all his three anointed offices, as Prophet, Priest,
and King; trusting in him, accepting him, and cleaving to him:
in all these, Jews and Gentiles are alike welcome to God throughChrist. There is No difference, his Righteousness is upon all
that believe; not only offered to them, but Put upon them as aCrown, as a robe. It is free Grace, mere Mercy; there is nothing
in us to deserve such favours. It comes freely unto us, butChrist bought it, and paid the price. And Faith has special
regard to the Blood of Christ, as that which made the Atonement.God, in all this, declares his Righteousness. It is Plain that
he hates Sin, when nothing less than the Blood of Christ would
satisfy for it. And it would not agree with his Justice to
demand the Debt, when the Surety has paid it, and he has
accepted that payment in full satisfaction.

27-31God will have the great work of the Justification andSalvation of sinners carried On from first to last, So as to
shut out boasting. Now, if we were saved By our own Works,
boasting would not be excluded. But the way of JustificationByFaith for ever shuts out boasting. Yet believers are not left to
be lawless; Faith is a Law, it is a working Grace, wherever it
is in Truth. ByFaith, not in this matter an act of obedience,
or a good work, but forming the relation between Christ and the
sinner, which renders it proper that the believer should be
pardoned and justified for the sake of the Saviour, and that the
unbeliever who is not thus united or related to him, should
remain under condemnation. The Law is still of use to convince
us of what is past, and to direct us for the future. Though we
cannot be saved By it as a Covenant, yet we own and submit to
it, as a rule in the Hand of the Mediator.